Pune: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the long-awaited Pune Metro Line-3 (Maan-Hinjawadi to Shivajinagar) via videoconferencing on Tuesday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Sunetra Ajit Pawar will grace the occasion as chief guests.
The ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at the Badminton Hall, Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Mhalunge-Balewadi. Passenger services on the new line will officially begin at 6:00 a.m. on November 4, 2026.
The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority Commissioner, Dr Abhijit Chaudhari, earlier told reporters that Pune Metro Line-3 is a 23.203-kilometre fully elevated metro corridor, popularly known as ‘Puneri Metro’ and the ‘Pink Line’. Originating at Maan, the route passes through Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjawadi to connect with Shivajinagar, a major administrative and commercial hub of Pune.
The project’s total estimated cost, including land acquisition and utility shifting, is Rs 8,313 crore. It has been executed on a DBFOT (Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer) Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model under the Central Government’s ‘National Metro Rail Policy, 2017’.
Out of the total 23 stations on this line, 17 stations will be opened to passengers starting November 3. Among these, seven stations will open with a single staircase operational.
To ensure seamless onward travel after exiting the metro, multi-modal integration is being implemented.
Priority has also been given to pedestrian and cyclist safety alongside road traffic. For this purpose, dedicated cycle tracks, wide footpaths, pedestrian crossings, and foot overbridges are being constructed. This will significantly help reduce traffic congestion, particularly in the Hinjawadi area, said Dr Chaudhari.
Under this project, a total solar power generation capacity of 7.60 MW has been installed—6.10 MW at metro stations and 1.50 MW at the car depot. This green energy will fulfil nearly 30 per cent of the project’s overall power requirements.
All trains on Pune Metro Line-3 will be operated by around 100 women train pilots. Furthermore, about 50 per cent of the total station staff, including station controllers, ticketing staff, and station attendants, will be women.
Chaudhari stated that this initiative underlines a strong commitment to women empowerment, gender equality, and increasing female participation in modern transport.
(IANS)
